1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible structures, and in particular, to collapsible structures having a plurality of panels that can be folded and collapsed to reduce the overall size of the structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Collapsible objects have recently become popular with both adults and children. Examples of such collapsible objects are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,794 (Zheng) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,385 (Zheng) in the form of collapsible structures. These structures have a plurality of panels which may be twisted and folded to reduce the overall size of the structures to facilitate convenient storage and use. As such, these structures are being enjoyed by many people in many different applications.
For example, these structures have been provided in many different shapes and sizes for children's play inside and outside the house. Smaller versions of these structures have been used as infant nurseries. Even smaller versions of these structures have been used as dollhouses and action figure play houses by toddlers and children.
As another example, these structures have been made into tents or outdoor structures that can be used by adults and children for camping or other outdoor purposes. These structures have also been popular as beach cabanas.
Even animals can enjoy these structures. Some of these structures have been made into shelters that can be used by pets, both inside and outside the house.
The wide-ranging uses for these collapsible structures can be attributed to the performance, convenience and variety that these structures provide. When fully expanded, these structures are stable and can be used as a true shelter without the fear of collapse. These structures are easily twisted and folded into a compact configuration to allow the user to conveniently store the structure. The light-weight nature of the materials used to make these structures makes it convenient for them to be moved from one location to another. These structures also provide much variety in use and enjoyment. For example, a child can use a structure both indoors and outdoors for different play purposes, and can use the same structure for camping.
Despite their wide-ranging use and applicability, all of the above-mentioned collapsible structures have specific structural configurations that render them better suited for certain applications than others. Therefore, there still remains a need to provide collapsible structures having different structural configurations, so as to increase the variety, use and applicability of these structures. For example, it may be desirable to provide (1) a structure with a stronger support for use in certain applications, or (2) differently-configured panels and frame members that provide a structure with a specific configuration for specific purposes, or (3) a structure with fewer panels to reduce the complexity and cost of the structure, among others.